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The breast cancer fundraiser concert Jug Jam returns to Lakeville. See Thisweekend Page 10A
A NEWS OPINION SPORTS
Thisweek Burnsville-Eagan
this is
MAY 27, 2011
VOLUME 32, NO. 13
www.thisweeklive.com
Opinion/5A
Sports/6A
Memorial Day/8A
Thisweekend/10A
by John Gessner & Tad Johnson THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
Former council member, state representative ascends to national stage THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
A former Eagan City Council member, state representative and Minnesota two-term governor prominently touted his Dakota County roots when announcing Sunday, May 22, that he was seeking the Republicans’ 2012 presidential endorsement through a You
Tube video. Tim Pawlenty, born on Nov. 27, 1960, in South St. Paul to Eugene and Virginia Pawlenty, told viewers that he grew up in a “blue collar town� and that his father was a truck driver and his mother died when he was a teenager. As the first in his family to attend college, Pawlenty said he knows the American
Former Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty speaks at a gathering in Iowa on May 23. Pawlenty depicted himself as a teller of the truth. Photo by T.W. Budig
Announcements/14A
Eagan mayor, ex-senator plan to vie for DFL nod for District 38 Senate seat
From Eagan to presidential candidate by T.W. Budig & Tad Johnson
Classifieds/11A
Photo by T.W. Budig
Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty makes his way through a crowd of reporters during a campaign stop in Des Moines, Iowa, on Monday, May 23. dream because “I lived it.� Having lived in Eagan since moving there after his marriage in 1987 to Mary Anderson, many local people have watched the rise of Pawlenty’s political star from his apSee Pawlenty, 17A
IN BRIEF ECM Capitol Reporter T.W. Budig was in Iowa covering the launch of Tim Pawlenty’s 2012 presidential run.
First stop, Iowa Presidential candidate Pawlenty heads south as his campaign season begins by T.W. Budig ECM CAPITOL REPORTER
Newly minted presidential candidate Tim Pawlenty made his first campaign stop on Monday, May 23, in Des Moines, Iowa, appearing at a “town forum� on the sunny deck of the State Historical Building. The golden domes of the Iowa State Capitol in the distance
provided a picturesque backdrop for the former Republican governor who gave a speech and responded to some questions from the audience of about 100. He presented himself to Iowans as the guy who’s going to tell the truth and let the chips fall. “Someone has to lead. I will,� Pawlenty told a friendly crowd. “I’m going to tell you the truth.� See Iowa, 16A
Eagan’s current mayor and a former state senator plan to vie for the DFL Party’s endorsement for state Senate in 2012. Mayor Mike Maguire announced his intentions Wednesday, while Jim Carlson said he never closed his campaign so he’d have the opportunity to recapture the seat he lost in 2010. The two will seek the District 38 Senate seat now held by Republican Ted Daley, who defeated incumbent Carlson in the 2010 election, which gave control of the Senate to Republicans. Eagan has traditionally made up the majority of Senate District 38. Redistricting will create new districts for 2012, when elections will be held for all Minnesota Senate and House districts. Maguire blasted Daley and Republicans in a news release and a message on his campaign’s new Facebook page. Maguire said he’s filed forms to create a campaign committee “while preparing to announce my candidacy early next year.� “Last year current Sen. Ted Daley campaigned for his seat claiming he and fellow Republicans had ‘the courage to lead’
Jim Carlson
Mike Maguire
the state through its budget crisis and back to prosperity; in the past five months we’ve seen very little courage or leadership in St. Paul,� said Maguire, Eagan’s mayor since 2007 and a City Council member for four years before that. “Instead of working together to solve our state’s biggest challenges, Daley and his Republican majorities have played the politics of distraction and delay, ending the legislative session with ‘job one’ undone. That doesn’t work for me in City Hall and it’s not acceptable in St. Paul.� Maguire said “a great number of people� have encouraged him to run for Daley’s Senate seat. Carlson said he stuck his neck out on many issues while serving in the Senate from 2006-10, but there is still work to be done to protect education, transportation and health care. “Now we have a different governor,� Carlson See Senate, 16A
Guidance counselor’s new book Remembering our fallen heroes Local residents gave the ultimate aims at lifting up Latina teens Kerrie Troseth of Burnsville High School has spent the past 12 years helping girls improve self-esteem and set goals to prevent pregnancy, dropout by Jessica Harper
on ways to support Latina stuTHISWEEK NEWSPAPERS dents in setting goals, graduating from high school, and pursuing a For more than a decade, Kerrie college education and a career. Troseth, a Burnsville High School “It’s key for school counselors to guidance counselor, witnessed one know what is going on and work after another of her Latina stuwith the students, parents and dents become pregnant and drop community resources,� Troseth out of school. Kerrie said. Two years ago, she decided to Troseth Troseth has worked closely with do something about it while working in the Rosemount-Apple Valley School Latina and other groups as a high school District by forming support groups that counselor for 12 years. She started her career in 1999 at help Latina teens build self-esteem and set Shakopee High School. goals. After four years, Troseth yearned for a The success of this effort inspired Troseth to write “La Voz Latina: A Group more urban setting so she decided to take Counseling Curriculum for Latina Stu- a job as a school counselor at Apple Valley dents.� The book, which was published High School in the Rosemount-Apple Valearlier this year, advises school counselors See Troseth, 14A
sacrifice in service to their country
by Jessica Harper THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
The word hero is often said carelessly to recognize an athlete or movie star. But on Memorial Day, we remember our nation’s true heroes – those who made the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms we too often take for granted. Here is a look at a few local citizens who gave their lives in the recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Crooner takes his gift from the car to the piano bar to the stage Burnsville’s Tim McGraw, aka Tim Patrick, is loving his second career by John Gessner THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
A funny thing happened to teacher Tim McGraw on the way to fixing his marriage. He found his voice, and a second career. Seven years ago, during a four-month separation from wife Roxanne, the then 51-year-old Burnsville resident stopped into Nye’s Polonaise Room in northeast Minneapolis. “I always suspected I had a good
voice, but I didn’t know for sure,� said McGraw, who had tried the church choir at Berean Baptist in Burnsville but preferred crooning to himself in the less disciplined confines of his car. “I grew up in not the healthiest of families, and it was not safe to sing. If you tried, they’d laugh at you.� No one was laughing at Nye’s, where a trembling McGraw buried his face in a lyric sheet and offered “I Left My Heart in San Francisco� at the piano bar. Patrons around the bar are usually supportive of wannabees and good-time Charlies who take the mic, but McGraw said this reaction was different. “The whole place applauded,� he See McGraw, 18A
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Andrew Wilfahrt The military was the last place Spc. Andrew Wilfahrt’s family thought he’d go after graduating from Rosemount High School in 1997. After high school, Andrew was indecisive about a career path and bounced from job to job. See Fallen Heroes, 8A
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Ever since he was a young boy, Cpl. Benjamin Kopp dreamed of becoming a soldier like his greatgrandfather, Leroy Rogers, who served during World War II. “Ben admired him greatly and wanted to grow up to be just like him,� Ben’s mother, Jill Stephenson, said. Friends and family describe Ben as someone who
and family. Ben was never able to achieve those goals. He was serving his first tour in Afghanistan when he was shot in Helmand Province. Ben died July 18, 2009 at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. He was 21. Though she misses him terribly, Jill said she is proud of the sacrifice Ben made for his country. “He continues to give me reasons to be proud of him,� she said.
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was very patriotic throughout his life. In addition to his country, Ben loved fishing, camping and hanging out with friends. An only child, he made friends easily. “Ben was someone who everybody loved, and who loved his country, family and friends,� Jill said. Friends describe him as someone who was extremely loyal and caring. “He was the best friend ever,� said 23-year-old Jenny Boll, who knew Ben since middle school. As a teen, Ben supported her during a particularly difficult time in her life, she said. “He was always there for me and never judged me,� she said. “He was like that to all his friends.� Ben graduated from Rosemount High School in 2006, and immediately enlisted in the U.S. Army where he became a Ranger. After boot camp, Ben was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment at Fort Benning, Ga., and served two tours in Iraq. Ben was proud to fulfil his life-long goal of becoming an Army Ranger. Ben had hoped that after finishing his duty in the Army, he would work for the CIA or FBI and move by the ocean to settle down – get married, have children and so forth, said friends